Q&A: Invitation Wording: Include Parents' Titles on Invites?

My parents, who will be hosting our wedding, are both retired Army Lieutenant Colonels. How do we properly word their names and titles on the invitations? I want to include my mother's title as well as my dad's.

A:

Give each parent his or her own line on the invite and use complete titles:

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Scott Johnson

United States Army, Retired

and

Lieutenant Colonel Barbara Dixon Johnson

United States Army, Retired

request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of

their daughter

Anna Maria Johnson

etc.

You may want to ask your parents about service etiquette; they may put you in touch with someone who can confirm that this wording is appropriate or give you additional information.